Kūrāgaituku

An ogress who had wings on her arms, could spear birds with her lips, and lived on raw food. She found the youth, Hatupatu, and took him to her home. He disliked the uncooked food, and induced the ogress to go farther and farther away each day hunting, while he stayed at home, cooking for himself, and examining her curiosities and treasures. Finally, he took her cloak of red feathers, her cloak of dog's skins, her two- handed sword, etc.; then, having destroyed everything else in the place, he fled. A bird went and told Kūrāgaituku, who flew after her truant; but Hatupatu, by enchantment, caused a rock to open and hide him, and the ogress, rushing on, was scalded to death in the hot-springs at Te Whakarewarewa.

References

Sources

  • Grey, Sir George. (1855). Polynesian Mythology. Auckland: Brett, p. 117.
  • Tregear, Edward. (1891). Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary. Wellington: Government Printer, pp. 185-186.

This article incorporates text from Maori-Polynesian Comparative Dictionary (1891) by Edward Tregear, which is in the public domain.